Who Was Johnny Cash?

By (author) Gigliotti Jim; By (author) Who HQ; Illustrated by Copeland Gregory
Description
Was Johnny Cash always the rebellious "Man in Black" that we remember him as today? Find out in this biography from the #1 New York Times bestselling series that takes us from Cash''s childhood on an Arkansas cotton farm to his first days in rockabilly through his most famous years as a country music legend and icon of American songwriting.

Due to his wide range of musical talent and an incomparable career spanning forty-nine years, Johnny Cash has been inducted into the Country, Rock and Roll, Rockabilly, and Gospel Halls of Fame. He also won 18 Grammys and 9 Country Music Association Awards. Who Was Johnny Cash? lets young readers learn about every step in Johnny Cash''s groundbreaking musical career. As one of the best-selling American musicians of all time, Cash, born JR Carter, was known for his rich, deep voice and musical style that featured a chugging, train-like beat.
Biographical note
Jim Gigliotti is a writer based in Southern California. A former editor at the National Football League, he has written more than 50 books for readers of all ages, including biographies for young readers on Olympian Jesse Owens, baseball star Roberto Clemente, scientist Nikola Tesla, and musician Stevie Wonder.
Excerpt
Who Was Johnny Cash?
 
 
J.R. Cash burst through the back door of the family’s house in Dyess, Arkansas, one day in 1947. As usual, he was singing.

J.R. was fifteen years old at the time. His mom, Carrie, was at the kitchen stove. She had her back to him. “Who was that?” she said.

Carrie knew perfectly well who it was. She had heard J.R. singing along with his brothers and sisters many times before while the entire family picked cotton during long, hot days in the fields. But she also knew that on this day something was different. J.R.’s voice was deeper. It was richer. It was stronger. This was a voice she had not heard before.

J.R.’s voice was changing. Like many teenage boys, J.R.’s voice was beginning to sound different. “You sound exactly like my daddy,” Carrie said. Her father, J.R.’s grandfather, had been known for many miles around for his singing.

Carrie told J.R. his voice was a gift. “God has his hand on you, son,” she said. “Don’t ever forget the gift.” That voice was indeed a gift, and it would help him build a long and successful music career. J.R. would grow up to be known as Johnny Cash, and go on to sell more than ninety million albums around the world.

Johnny’s music is most often considered country, which is sometimes called country and western. But he also sang many other different types of music, including songs that featured the sounds of gospel, blues, folk, and rock. He appealed to so many different music fans that he has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

And he never forgot that his voice was a gift. He used it to speak out, in words and in song, on behalf of Native Americans, poor people, prison inmates, and others. Johnny saw the struggles of people and wanted to help. Maybe that’s because he had so many of his own struggles over the years. He had grown up in a poor family in rural Arkansas. And even after he became famous, he worked to overcome a personal battle with drugs to build a lasting career. Many of Johnny’s most famous songs are about the themes of struggle, recovery, and overcoming hardship.

His appeal to many different audiences, his commitment to social justice, and his dedication to using his gift to help others made Johnny Cash one of the most important artists in music history.
 

Chapter 1: The Promised Land

 
Johnny Cash was born on February 26, 1932, in Kingsland, Arkansa